Ethnographic Content Analysis of Couple and Therapist Perceptions in a Reflecting Team Setting*

Abstract

An ethnographic content analysis was used to examine couple and therapist perspectives about the use and value of reflecting team practice. Postsession ethnographic interviews form both couples and therapists were examined for the frequency of themes in seven categories that emerged form a previous ethnographic study of reflecting teams (Sells, Smith, Coe, Yoshioka, & Robbins, 1994). The study demonstrated that quantitative numerical data and qualitiative narrative data can examine the same phenomenon from multiple perspecrives and allow for greater accuracy and stability in study findings. Ethnographic content analysis is briefly cosntrasted with conventional modes of quantitative cosntent analysis to illustrate its usefulness and rationale for discovering emergent patterns, themes, emphases, and process using both inductive and deductive methods of inquiry.

The family therapy journals in 1997: a thematic review

“…A more radical collaborative research project was undertaken by Smith et al (1997), who used an ethnographical method to study how a 'practicum team' evolved into a collaborative and coherent team. Over the last few years Smith and his colleagues have pioneered the ethnographic method in family therapy research (see Smith et al, 1994). This present research confirmed the value and inevitability of conflict in trainee team development.…”

Neglected Voices: Consumers with Serious Mental Illness Speak About Intensive Case Management

“…For example, we considered whether the coding scheme was biased in favor of finding a desire for connection to the case manager by specifically looking for and reporting negative cases. Second, we implemented a system of analytical triangulation known as consensual coding (Campbell, 1988;Smith, Sells, & Clevenger, 1994). The coding scheme that was developed by the two authors was also applied by a third, outside coder.…”

Understanding alliances. How can research inform user‐friendly practice?

“…We need to be alert to differences in gendered perceptions, and power frequently concealed within such generic terms. Smith et al's (1994) study considers some common differences in perceptions about family problems, and found that mixed gender…”

“…Indeed, the transcript of the single-case study by Perlesz et al(1994) suggests that some clients want far more clarity and direction than is provided by the reflecting team. Smith et al (1994) studied the perceptions of couples and therapists of a reflecting team approach, and found that the couples were appreciative of the boundary between the observing team and the therapeutic system, with one party listening while the other was talking. It was helpful for them to be a 'fly on the wall' to their own process, although most of the couples found the reflecting team daunting at first.…”

“…Smith et al's (1994) study examined the views of therapists and clients while the therapy was still in progress. Clients and therapists held very different views, with clients valuing therapist qualities like rapport, warmth and sincerity, and the therapists tending to stress the importance of techniques like joining, unbalancing and reframing.…”